Platen-release.



G. T. TRUNDLE. JR. PLATE N RELEASE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 21. I914.

LM8,94. Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

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M55555 Jam/517 f0!" WM/A W ffi G. T. TRUNDLE, JR. PLATEN RELEASE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27. I914.

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JEN/5171272" e. T. mum Jn. PLATEN R E- APPLICATION FILED JULY 27. I914.

3 SHEETS-SH Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

- STATES GEORGE T. TRUNDLE, JR, 0! CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN MULTI- GRAPH COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

PLATEN-RELEASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3, 19315.

Application filed July 27, 1914. Serial No. 858,297.

at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Platen- Releases, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had ,to the accompanying drawings' This invention relates to printing machines having roller platens, and the object of the invention is to provide simple and effective means to shift the platen to nonprinting position in the case of failureof the paper to pass through the machine for I any reason.

My device is well adapted for use on rotary printing machines of the type known as the Multigraph and may operate with hand paper feeds or automatic paper feeds, as desired. In accomplishing the result I mount the platen on an eccentric device provided with a spring tending to turn it to carry the platen to inactive position; I provide a latch to prevent such action, and mechanism under the control of the paper being fed adapted to release the latch when the paper fails. These cotiperating mechanisms are hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of a rotary printing ma.- chine, such as the Multigraph, equipped with my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged end view of a portion of the same looking from the opposite direction to Fig. 1 and showing the platen releasing mechanism; Figs. 3 and 4 are detail sections on the'correspondingly numbered lines on Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan of the printingmachine taken just above the platen; Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional front elevation of a portion vof the platen and its operating mechanism, the section being approximately vertical, as indicated by the line 66 on Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-*7 of Fig. 6, looking toward the right; Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are diagrams in the nature of end views, showing the platen release in various positions.

As shown in Fig. 1, 10 indicates a printing drum or so ment shown 1 as equipped with longitudina rails 11 carrying grooved type 12. The drum has a shaft 14 mounted in the frame 15 by which the drum may be rotated. Inking means for the type are illustrated by the ribbon 16 extending across the type from the spools 17 mounted within the drum. Below the drum and'coacting with the type thereon to make a printing couple is the roller platen 20. This platen is rotatably mounted on a shaft 21 which has reduced eccentrically placed extensions 22 and 23 mounted in bushings 24 and 25 carried by the end members of the frame 15. It is convenient to make the bushing 24 itself an eccentric rotatable in the frame and locked in adjusted position (for instance by the clamp 26, Fig. 5) to make the platen strictly parallel with the drum. It is also convenient to drive the platen from the drum by means of a gear 30 journaled on an extension of the stationary bushing 25 and connected with the platen by an ()ldham coupling and meshing witha gear 18 on the drum. Such a structure as described provides an effective printing couple, the printing pressure being adjusted by turning the shaft 21. The eccentri c extension 23 of the shaft has an angular end on which is mounted the plate 40. This plate is normally locked to a.

paper tothe ,printing couple described, I

may provide the mechanlsm shown in the drawings hereof, which includes a series of rolls 50 mounted on a shaft 51, whichhas a pinion 52 geared through an idler 53 with the gear 30; while'surmounting the rolls 50 is a, long roller 55 journaled in the end arms of a yoke 56 which is pivoted at 57. One of these end arms has adjustably connected with it an extension 58 carrying a roller 59. This roller is operated by a cam 60 on a ring 61 surrounding the drum and adjustable about it oircumferentially. Normally the rollers 50 and 55 are separated, and at that time stop fingers 65 project from below the paper upwardly across its end, these fingers being mounted on a rock shaft 66 and given an upward tendency by a spring 67. The position of the paper at this time is shown in Fig. 1 at P.

When the cam 60 engages the roller 59 the yoke frame is rocked downwardly and this brings the roller 55 into coaction with the rolls 50 and at the same time depresses the stop fingers 65, wherefore the paper is pinched and fed forwardly to the drum and platen, as will be well understood.

The present invention is concerned with means connecting with the sheet of paper and acting on the collar 41 to turn that collar when the paper is absent, to carry the platen to idle position. The power for so turning the collar consists of a helical spring 70 surrounding the shaft-extension 23 and anchored at one end to the collar at 71 and to the. other end at 72 to a plate 74, which is rigidly connected with the frame 15 by a stationary stud 75. The spring tends to turn the collar 41 and the shaft to shift the platen into idle or non-printing position.

Normally the turning pf the platen to idle position is prevented by a latch arm 95 which has a nose 96 engaging a notch 97 in,

the collar 41. Coacting with'the latch arm 95 is a locking pawl which is pivoted at 83 to a rock arm 84 secured to a rock shaft 85 journaled in the frame and having a rock arm 86 carrying a roller 87. This roller is in the path of a cam 88 carried by the cam ring 61. The cam 88 and the cam 60, heretofore described, are out of circumferential alinement (as shown clearly by Figs. 8 and 4), so that they act only on their respective rollers, but they are carried by the same cam ring 61 and are thus simultaneously adjustable, and are so'positioned that the cam 88 engages the roller 87 just as the cam 60 comes into engagement with the roller 59. A spring 89 seating in a socket in the arm 84 bears against a down-turned portion of the pawl 80 and tends to guide the nose 81 thereof within a notch 82 of the collar. 41, for a purpose hereinafter described.

On a rock shaft 90 extending across the .frame of the machine is secured an upwardly extending finger 91 standing directly below a groove 93 (Fig. 6) in the upper feed roller 55. The paper passes over this finger and keeps it depressed. The finger is pressed upwardly against the paper by means of a counterweight 92 on the rock shaft. Secured to this rock shaft at the end .of the machine is a block 94, in which pivotally seats the latch arm 95 extending beneath the inclined end of the pawl 80. The latch arm 95 is allowed a slight movement independent of the block 94, but in efiect operates therewith by reason of a spring 98 socketed in the block and bearing against the arm and a set screw 99 threaded in the block and bearing against the arm on the other side of the pivot.

The counterweight 92 is of such mass with reference to the arm 95 and the finger 91 that the finger is pressed upwardly with a light movement against theunder face of the paper P whenever the paper is in position. The pressure, however, is not sufficient to materially bend the paper, and accordingly the paper holds the finger down, maintaining the arm 95 with its nose in the notch 97, which prevents the spring 70 turning the platen.

The finger 91 is normally held ,\down,

circumferential pressure of the collar shoulder against the latch arm and the engage 'whether the paper is present or not, by the g ment of the pawl 80 with the top of the arm 95 under the influence of the spring 89 and a spring 100 (Fig. 1) actingon the rock shaft 85. However, just as the cam 60 engages the roller 59 to start the feeding of the paper, the cam 88 acting on the roller 87 swings the pawl 80 a slight distance to the right, turning the collar 41 with it so that the pressure against the latch arm 96 is relieved. This position of the parts is shown in Fig. 8. Now, if there is paper present, as shown in this figure, such paper blocks the upward movemert of the finger 91 which prevents the arm 95 rising higher than shown. Accordingly, when the cam 88 clears the roller 87 the pawl 80, the collar 41 and the arm 95 all return to normal position. Suppose, however, the paper P were not passing above the finger 91 at the time that the cam 88 engages the collar 87 then the parts have the action shown in Fig. 9. That is to say, the cam 88 swings the pawl 80 to the right and turns the platen slightly as before. but in this instance the arm 96 rises so high under the influence of [the counterweight 92 and the unimpeded finger 91, that the head 96 of that arm stands in the path of the pawl 80, so that when the pawl returns to the left (as the cam 8 clears the roller 87) the pawl is cammed upwardly by the head 96 and releases its hold on the collar 41. Thereupon the spring 71 gives v the collar and shaft approximately a quarter turn to the left tobring it into the position shown in Fig. 10. This lowers the platen to idle position so that it is not inked by the I of a s hiftable rod 105 (Figs. 2 and 6) which carries a projecting finger 106 adapted to be impinged by means moving with the collar 41, as, for example, one of the screws 108 secured to the collar and moving through arcual slots 109 in the stationary plate 74. Accordingly, a failure of the paper may not only turn the-platen to idle position, butmay stop an automatic feed or shut off the drawing power, or both, as desired.

After the platen is thrown down, as above described, it is easily returned to position by hand by the operator giving ap roxim'ately a quarter turn to the platen 40 y means of the projecting fingers 43. When the platen is thus turned back to active osition the latch arm 95 and the pawl 80 Wlll come into their respective notches, the spring acting on the pawl forcing the latch arm down, and the platen will remain in active position until the cam 88 again acts on the roller 87..

'paratiyely light counterweight 92 assisted by the cam 103, and this presses the finger 91 lightly upward against the under side cf the paper. Accordingly, when thepaper is present a very thin sheet of tissue paper may be suiiicient to prevent the arm 95 rising and .thus maintain the platen active.

- When, however, paper is entirely absent and the latch arm uses, the pawl is positively cammed out of engagement with the collar and the helical spring is freeto turn the latter to idle position.

The platen release described in no manner interferes with the adjustment of the platen for various thicknesses of paper or degree of ink in the ribbon, as this is accomplished simply by loosening the clamp screw 12 and shifting the plate 40 on the collar 41.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination, with a printing couple, of means tending to move one member thereof to idle position, a latch preventing the operation of such means, a finger connected with the latch and adapted to bear against paper, means tending to move the finger across the path" of a sheet of paper and concurrently move the latch to-idle osition, and means for periodically relieving the pressure against the latch which is normally caused by the means tending to separate the members of the couple.

"finger connecte 2. The combination of a printing member, a roller platen, an eccentric device on which the same is mounted, means tending to turn the eccentric device, a latch adapted to hold it against turning, a finger connected with said latch and adapted to bear against a sheet of paper, and means for periodically relieving the latch of the pressure of the platen.

The combination, with a printing'co'uple, ofmeans for moving the platen to idle position, a latch arm preventing the operation of such means, a finger connected with the latch arm and adapted to bear against a sheet of paper, and means for periodically relieving the pressure of the platen against the latch arm.

4. The combination of a printing member,

-a rotary platen, an eccentric mounting for the same, a collar connected with the eccentric, a latch arm adapted to engage a shoulderon said collar and normally prevent the same turning, a finger connected with the latch arm and adapted to bear against a sheet of paper,tand.means for periodically relieving the pressure'of the shoulder against the latch arm.

5. The combination of a printing member;

a rotary platen, an eccentric mounting for the same, a collar connected with the eccentric, a latch arm adapted to engage a shoulder on said collar and normally prevent the same turning, a finger connected with the latch arm and adapted to bear against a sheet of paper, means for normally locking the latch arm to the collar, and means for periodically releasing such lock.

6. The combination of a -printing couple including a rotary platen, means tending to move the platen to idle position, a latch arm for preventing such movement, a finger lever connected with the latch arm and adapted to bear against a sheet of paper, a pawl normally overhanging the latch arm and holding it in active position, and means for periodically moving the pawl to release the latch arm.

7. The combination, with a printing member, a. platen, an eccentric mountmg therefor, means tending to turn such eccentr1 c mounting to move the platen to idle position, alatch reventing such turning, a

d with the latch and adapted to. bear against a sheet of pa er, and mechanism for periodically turning the platen forward slightly to relieve the pressure on the latch and atthe same time releasing the latch.

8. The combination of a printing member, a roller platen, an eccentric on which the same is mounted, a collar connected with the eccentric, means tending to turn the collar to carry the platen to idle position, a latch arm engaging a shoulder on the collar to prevent such turning, a pawl adapted to engage a shoulder on the collar, and means for moving the pawl to free the latch, said movement turning the collar slightly in advance to relieve the latch of the pressure of the collar.

9. The combination of a printing couple, means for moving the platen thereof to idle position, a latch normally preventing such movement, a lock for said latch, a finger connected with the latch, means for guiding paper in proximity to said finger, and means for moving the lock to release the latch and for relieving the pressure on the latch.

110. The combination with a printing cou- P means adapted to move the platen of the couple to idle position, a latch for preventing such movement, a finger carried by said latch and adapted tobear against the paper, a lock for the latch, and mechanism for concurrently initiating the paper feed and releasing said lock.

11. The combination of a printing memher, a rotary platen, an eccentric on which the same is mounted, a collar connected with the eccentric and having a shoulder, an arm adapted to engage said shoulder, means tending to turn the eccentric when the arm releases the shoulder, a finger connected with said arm, a paper feeding device, and means for automatically'initiating the action of the paper feed and concurrently causing said finger to move toward the place where the paper should be.

12. The combination of a printing couple, means for moving the platen thereof to idle position, an arm for preventing such movement, arock shaft on which the arm. is mounted, a finger on said rock shaft adapt ed to bear against a sheet of paper and control the movement of the arm, a pawl nor-' mally overhanging the arm preventing its movement, and means for periodically moving the pawl to release the arm. a

13. The combination of a printing couple,

' means for moving the platen thereof to idle position, an arm for preventing such movement, a rock shaft on which the arm is mounted, a finger on said rock shaft adapted to bear against a sheet of paper and conpresenting the 14. The combination, with a printing coutrol the movement of the arm, a pair of feed rolls, and means for concurrently causing saidvfeed rolls to pinch the paper and, for

finger to such paper.

ple, of means tending to move the platen thereof to idle position, a latch for preventing such movement, means tending to move the latch to idle position but normally prevented by the pressure of themeans first mentioned.

of a paper feeding device therefor,

' ated by such 15. Thecombination, with a printing conple, of means tending to move the platenthereof to idle position, a latch, for preventing such movement, a lock for the latch, I

feed rolls, and two cams for operating the feed rolls and lock respectively.

16. The combination of a rotary printing drum, a roller platen coacting therewith, an

eccentric on which the platen, is mounted, means tending to turn the eccentric to carry the platen to idle position, a latch forpreventing such turning, a paper feed device, a pair of cams mounted on the drum and adjustable as a unit, and mechanism operated by the respective cams for initiating the paper feed and for submitting the latch to the influence of the paper.

17. The combination of a printing couple,-

means tending to separate the members thereof, a latch for preventing such movement, means tending to move-the latch'to idle position but normally-prevented by the pressure of the means first mentioned, means for periodically relieving such pressure, and means adapted to engage a sheet of paper and thereby prevent the effective operation of the means second mentioned when the pressure is relieved.

18. The combination of a rotary printing drum, a roller platen therefor, an eccentric on which the platen is mounted, a spring tending to turn the eccentric, a collar having a shoulder connected with the eccentric, a latch arm adapted to engage said shoulder,

a finger connected with the latch arm, a

paper feeding device comprising a pair of rollers, one of which has a recess opposite the finger, and means for concurrently causing said rollers to coact to feed the paper and for submitting such finger to the influence of the paper to release the platen or not, according to whether thepaper is present. I

19. The combination of a prlntmg couple,

means for moving the platen thereof to idle a power controlling device opermovement, a latch for preventing. such movement, a lock for the latch, a finger adapted to engage the sheet of paper, mechanism connecting said finger with the latch for concurrent movement therewith, and means tending to press the finger toward the paper.

' 20. The combination of a rotary printing drum, a rotary platen, means for moving one of such'members away from the other to position,

prevent printing contact, a latch preventing such movement, a lock for the latch, a paper feed device, a fingerficarried by the latch,

means for periodica y releasing the lock and causing the latch finger to move into coaction with the paper if it is present and across the path of the paper if it is absent,

.- in the latter case only carrying the latch to idle position, and means for initiating the.

paper feed at substantially the same time.

21. The combination of a rotary printing drum, a rotary impression platen, an eccentric on which the platen is mounted, a spring tending to turn the eccentric to idle position, a collar connected with the cocentric and having two notches, an arm adapted to engage one notch to prevent such movement, a pawl normally overhan ing the arm and also engaging the secon notch, means for periodically moving the pawl to perform the double function of unlocking the arm andturning the platen to relieve the arm of the pressure of the spring, and means for'submitting such arm at that time to the restraining influence of a sheet of paper if the same be present. 22. The combination of a rotary printing drum, a rotary impression platen, an eccentric on which the platen is mounted, a spring tending to turn the eccentric to idle position, a collar connected with the eccen trio and having two notches, an arm adapted to engage one notch to prevent such movement, a pawl normally overhanging the arm and also e gaging the second notch, means for perio ically moving the pawl to per form the double function of unlocking the arm and turning the laten to relieve the arm of the pressure of the spring, a finger connected with the arm and adapted to bear against a sheet of paper, and a cam on the drum operating to move the pawl.

23. The combination of a rotary printing drum, a rotary impression platen, an eccentric on which the same is mounted, a spring tending to turn the eccentric, a collar connected with the eccentric and having a pair of shoulders, an arm adapted to engage one shoulder and prevent the collar turning, a pawl adapted to engage the other shoulder, mechanism connected with the pawl for moving the same to turn the platen and thus relieve the arm of the pressure of the spring, a finger connected with the arm and. adapted to bear against a sheet of paper when the arm is released, a pair of normally separated feed rollers, and two cams on the drum, one operating to cause the feed rollers to coact and the other to move the mechanism which moves the pawl.

24. The combination, with a printing couple, of means for moving one member thereof to idle position, a latch for preventing theoperation of such means, means connected with the latch and adapted to bear against a sheet of paper, and means for periodically relieving the pressure of the movin means against the latch.

25. he combmation of a printing member, a rotary platen having an eccentric. mounting, means tending to turn the eccentllC mounting to carry the platen to idle position, a latch normally preventing such turning, means for periodically relieving the latch of the pressure of the turning means, and means whereby the relieved latch frees the platen-turning mechanism only when the paper is absent.

26. The combination of a printing member, a rotary platen, an eccentric mounting for the same, a spring tending to turn the eccentric, a. latch adapted normally to preventthe same turning, a finger connected with the latch and adapted to bear against a sheet of paper, and means for periodically .relieving the pressure of the spring against the latch.

27. The combination of a pr nting member, a rotary platen, an eccentrlc mounting for the same, a collar connected with the eccentric, a latch arm adapted to engage a shoulder on said collar and normally prevent the same turning, a finger connected with the latch arm and adapted to bear against a sheet of paper, and means for pcriodically turning the collar slightly to relieve the pressure on said latch arm.

28. The combination of a printing couple, means tending. to move one member thereof to idle position, a normally restrained'latch for preventing such movement, a finger connected with the latch and adapted to bear against a sheet of paper, and means for periodically releasing the latch and starting its movement in a direction to carry the finger toward the paper.

- latch, means for guiding paper in proximity to said finger, means pressing the finger toward the paper, and periodically acting means for positively starting the movement of the finger toward the paper.

30. The combination, with a print ng member, a platen, an eccentric mounting therefor, means tending to turn such eccentric mounting to move the platen to idle position, a latch preventing such turning, a finger connected with the latch, a counterweight'tending to move the finger agamst a sheet of paper, and mechanism for per1od 1- cally startin the finger positively in the direction in which the counterweight tends to move it.

31. The combination. of a printmg member, a roller platen, an eccentric on wh ch the same is mounted, a collar connected with the eccentric, means tending to turn the collar to carry the platen to idle pos1t1on, a latch engaging a shoulder on the collar to prevent such turning, a finger connected with the latch, a counterweight, constantly pressing the finger toward the paper (the pressure of the collar agalnst the latch normally holding the finger in idle positicn); In testimony whereof, i hereunto affix my means for turning the collar slightly in adsignature in the presence of two Witnesses.

Vance to relieve the latch of the pressure of the collar, and means for mechanically as- GEORGE -E sisting the action of gravity in starting the I Witnesses:

movement of the finger when the latch is re- E. F. KOENIG, lieved. T. H. WHITE. 

